I used to call MIT my definite first choice but after making this set of options I concluded that any one of these would be an awesome school for me so I don’t have a preference of one over the other at this point.
I’ve been debating whether engineering or physics would be better and I chose engineering (I just feel like it will open up more doors). Probably computer-related engineering (CE or SE) or one of the engineering sciences (will depend on which school has which program).
I want to choose the option that will maximize my chances of getting in. In that aspect, the first one seems better because I can apply to more than 1 schools early, but the SCEA seems it will favour EA applicants over RA. I’m an international student and I’ll be applying for aid, which might make Cornell a worse option since it’s need-aware, but that makes me think that if all international students who need aid think like that and apply to schools like MIT or Princeton over schools like Cornell for aid policies, then I’d have less competition in applying to Cornell? just a thought, don’t think this is right anyway, but if you know anything about this stuff please let me know and help me make the best decision!
Thank you in advance
MIT does not give a boost for EA applications, In fact, the admit rate for internationals to MIT is under 1%. Unless you’ve won an international olympiad or have something similar on your resume, I’d apply ED to a school that is more of a match.
Princeton SCEA most likely will not give you a boost unless you have a hook like recruited athlete or legacy. ED at any school will give you a substantial boost for admissions.
Before you pick between MIT, Cornell and Princeton, what are your scores?
Also spend more time looking for schools that are matches that might give international students aid.
But Cornell also just admits more students over all, thus increasing your chances. But can you afford it?
@bopper I have SAT scores coming out tomorrow, previous one is 1510 (710 language + 800 math). I also have a 800 math level 2, 790 physics and 780 chemistry. Also have a 33 ACT (35E, 34M, 28R, 35S + 10 writing) but might not submit bc it’s worse than my SAT.
I indicated in the post that I would be applying for aid. And this is my so-far list of top choices, I have dozens of other schools that are significantly less competitive.
@Dolemite Is ED a more boost than SCEA? what about with the need-aware factors? Do you think ED is still better?
@bouders But wouldn’t the “less applicants” factor be an indirect boost factor even if there’s no direct boost factor? I mean you’re compared against a smaller applicant pool…
What “less applicants” factor?
@bouders EA applicant pool is much smaller than RA
The acceptance rate for MIT EA is the same as RD.
Just look at the percentage of the class filled by ED, it is 40-60% at top schools. EA is a different story.
@CU123 By EA are you including SCEA?
And MIT also seems to fill their class around that percentage from EA, 664/1464 = ~45%.
@bouders EA: 664/9,571 = ~6.94%, RA: 800/18,385 = ~4.35%
@geekgurl You should focus on international acceptance statistics for calibrating your odds of admission, MITs total EA vs RA acceptance rates are less relevant. Most relevant to you is MIT’s class of 2022 international acceptance rate of 2% (115/4714), which are long odds indeed, whether EA or RA. I know from other threads you have a long list of schools, so if MIT is your top choice, of course you can still apply.
I do agree with the comment that Cornell may offer you a higher chance of admission, even though they are need aware. In 2017/18 there were 1,602 international students at Cornell, so ~400/class (not sure of annual int’l acceptance rate). So, combining MIT EA and Cornell ED is not a bad strategy, but you will forego not only princeton’s SCEA bump (not sure it exists for internationals tho), but any other school on your list where you would have greater odds of admission via ED. Are there other schools you are applying to EA? Also, have an ED2 strategy should EA/ED not work out. I don’t know how complex your financial picture is, or the level of need, but there is always some financial risk in applying under any binding program (although an inadequate finaid package is the one reason one can break an ED contract).
Lastly, I concur on not sending your ACT score to MIT, as your 33 composite is below the 25% percentile (class of 2022 25%/75% is 34/35). Your SAT scores are more competitive.
Good luck.
@Mwfan1921 I’m also applying to U Michigan and UNC Chapel Hill EA (applying for merit scholarships there). I’m currently considering Pomona for ED2.
As for FA, I’m applying for aid, and I think it’d be near full cost because my family makes very little. I doubt the binding program will cast any negative aspects on the FA, after all they all use a quantitative formula to determine aid amount which depends EFC. And the fact that I could appeal FA award amount just in case it’s inadequate relieves me of anything bad that can happen with that.
But your comment about SCEA bump - how significant is it, especially compared to the ED bump?
Btw my SAT scores are now 1540 (740 language + 800 math), with and without superscoring, if that changes anything. (hopefully it should!)
SCEA/EA appears to give little to zero bump unlike ED. With ED your trading something, your commitment to attend (if FA is sufficient) for a bump in admissions. SCEA/EA, you give nothing, and get nothing. That’s pretty much what the whole EA/REA/SCEA/ED admissions has evolved to.
@geekgurl You have a lot of research to do. U Mich and UNC Chapel Hill do not give need based aid to international students (typical of US public universities). U Mich offers very little, if any, in merit aid for internationals. Further, UMich states 'As part of their application for a student visa, international students must document that they have sufficient financial resources to meet their educational costs in the U.S.". It doesn’t seem like you will be able to do that.
Perhaps you will receive merit aid at UNC chapel hill, but I expect you would still have to bear a significant proportion of the costs. There are only 500 international students out of nearly 19,000 at UNC Chapel Hill. When you see numbers like that you have to ask yourself why and then figure it out. You need to search on each school’s site what the need based and merit based FA policies are for international students and go from there. You also need to understand US student visa requirements.
Yes, many schools will use FAFSA/EFC to calculate need based aid for international students (for the ones who give int’l students need based aid), even though international students are not eligible for the various federal financial aid programs. But many of your target schools also require the CSS Profile. Each and every school does a different CSS calculation, so it is not straightforward. And yes, you can appeal your FA, but there is no guarantee it will be changed, and most often appeals do not result in greater fa packages…
Regarding Princeton’s SCEA bump, it’s difficult to accurately parse it out. You can google Princeton’s SCEA acceptance rate vs regular decision rate to compare baselines. SCEA is higher, but SCEA includes legacies, athletes and other hooked applicants so it’s difficult to tell how much bump there really is in SCEA. There is probably a bump, but not as large as the simple difference between SCEA vs regular rates would suggest.
@Mwfan1921 Would you say that ED bump is bigger than SCEA bump or vice versa?
@CU123 But if all types of EA don’t have much bump, why would one apply EA, especially SCEA, which prevents the applicant from applying anywhere else early? If SCEA didn’t have a bump then why would people still apply SCEA instead of applying ED elsewhere?
- Because they believe its a bump.
- Because they have a hook and believe they will be admitted early.
- Because its simply their first choice school, and (if qualified) they will just be moved to the RD round if not admitted early.
- Because they believe they have a strong enough profile to be admitted SCEA/EA.